Adjustable sling as a support of internal organs or anatomical tissues

ABSTRACT

Adjustable sling as a support of internal organs or anatomical tissues that can be properly positioned into the patient&#39;s body without any special instrument, just by using a standard surgical forceps, and it allows to be repositioned, which is provided with a cavity in each of the laterals of the sling, with an opening to be able to introduce a standard surgical forceps to push the sling into the target place, said cavities formed by folding a part of the extremes of the sling inwards and after that sealing them by thread knots or thermal fixation.

The present invention consist of an “Adjustable sling as a support of internal organs or anatomical tissues” with a particular design and construction that provides the sling a maximum efficiency.

The design and configuration of the sling permits and facilitates its implantation in the patient's body, near the place to be treated, as an organ or anatomical tissue suspension or traction system minimizing the complications.

There are in the market various elements, principally slings, which are positioned as a hammock to elevate or support organs to improve its functioning.

As an example there are the patents U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,160,/U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,727/U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,703.

Specifically, Patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,160 presents a “method for treating female urinary incontinence” that uses some hooks to anchor a sling to the tissue and special needles to position the hooks into the tissues.

Specifically, Patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,727 presents a “percutaneous device and method for treating urinary stress incontinence in women using a sub urethral tape” that uses special instruments to position a long sling from the vaginal wall to the abdominal wall.

Specifically, Patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,703 presents a “surgical instrument for treating female urinary incontinence” that uses special needles to place a long sling from the vaginal wall to the abdominal wall.

In all precedents the slings that support an anatomical tissue or organ need special instruments to be placed, such as threads, needles, or hooks, to place and maintain the sling in right position.

The objective of the invention is a short sling that will be properly positioned into the patient's body without any special instrument, just by using a standard surgical forceps, and will be able to be repositioned, if needed, with the same methods used to place it.

For this purpose, the sling has been designed in a way that is provided with a cavity in each lateral side, with an opening to be able to introduce a standard surgical forceps to push the sling into place, up to the desired position. Said cavities are formed by folding a part of the extremes of the sling inwards and after that sealing them at least from the upper and lower folded edges by thread knots or thermal fixation. Additionally, the edge corresponding to the folding axis can be also sealed. Another sealing method can be used to shape the extreme cavities of the sling.

The sling extremes can be wider than the body of the sling, so the surgical forceps can push the sling in whatever direction.

The sling cavities have double sling layer, thus stimulating the tissue ingrowths and the tissue anchorage of the sling without any additional anchoring hook or special device.

Additionally in the sling central part two traction threads are arranged, which in combination with the surgical forceps and the sling cavities allow the proper positioning of the sling. By pulling the central traction threads during the sling introduction, there is a limit of the space that the sling will penetrate in the body, avoiding thus involuntary injuries like surgeons may have with other slings like organ or vessels perforation.

Among other applications, the sling can be used for urinary incontinence, pelvic floor prolaps, abdominal organs prolaps, thoracic organs prolaps, anatomical tissue repositioning in whatever part of the body.

Details and features are provided during the description together with the drawings that are included as illustrative, but non-limitative information of the invention.

A list of the various references used to describe the embodiments carried out on the sling of the present invention follows: (10) sling, (11) sling body; (12) central part of the sling; (13) extreme zones; (13 a) folded part; (13 a) part; (14) axis; (15) traction threads; (16) cavities; (17) cavity seams; (18) surgical forceps; (19) tips of the surgical forceps; (20) upper and lower edges; extreme edge (21); open knots (22); and openings (23).

FIG. 1 is a superior view of the sling (10) with its extremes zones (13) being extended, before the folding of the folded zone (13 a) by the ideal axis (14) over the zone (13 b).

FIG. 2 is a frontal view of the sling (10), with its extremes zones (13) being already folded, so forming the cavities (16), which are accessible by a standard surgical forceps (18).

FIG. 3 is a superior view of the sling (10) with its extremes (13) being already folded and sealed with two welding seams (17).

FIG. 4 is a view of the sling (10) and a standard surgical forceps (18).

FIG. 5 is a view of the sling (10) with the surgical forceps tips (19) fully extended inside one of the sling cavities (16).

FIG. 6 is a view of the sling (10) with its cavity (16) collapsed by the surgical forceps (18) to be introduced in the body.

FIG. 7 is a view of the sling (10) with the standard surgical forceps (18) reopening the sling cavity (16) once introduced to the body in order to increase the fibrosis surface and the sling anchorage.

FIG. 8 is a view of the sling (10) of how the surgical forceps (18) can be reintroduced in the sling cavity (16) to readjust the sling position in the body.

FIG. 9 is a view of a preferred design of an open knot (22) for the construction of the sling (10).

In a preferred design of the invention, the sling (10) is made of a monofilament polypropylene provided with a central zone (12) and wider extremes than the central zone, like is shown in FIG. 1.

In reference again to FIG. 1, said folded parts (13 a) are folded inwards by the ideal axis (14) over the parts (13 b), so forming the sling cavities (16), as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Said folded parts (13 a) are maintained over the other parts (13 b) by means of two thermal seals (17): one sealing the upper edge and another sealing the lower edge (20) of the folded extremes (13 a), as represented in FIG. 3. Additionally, the extreme edge (21) corresponding to the axis can be also sealed. Therefore, the cavities (16) have a rectangular configuration with an opening (23) that allows the surgeon to introduce inside the surgical forceps (18).

The geometry of the cavities (16) can also adopt other similar configurations, as long as it permits the easy and correct introduction of standard surgical forceps to push and drive the sling to the proper position.

As represented in FIG. 2, the sling (10) incorporates two traction threads (15) in the centre of the body (11) of the sling (10) to hold the sling (10) when inserting it into the body and to avoid its penetration too far. By playing with the surgical forceps (18) and the traction threads (15) the sling (10) can be positioned with maximum control, so avoiding dangerous structures.

The possibility of repositioning the sling (10) into the interior of the patient's body is not only during the surgery, but also during a period of time of 72 hours after the surgical implantation, before the sling is fully integrated into the patient's tissue by a fibrosis process. This repositioning can be made by reintroducing the surgical forceps (18) into the cavity of the sling (16) and pushing it further or by pulling the traction threads (15) of the central part of the sling (10), as shown in FIG. 8.

In order to avoid infections in this and any kind of mesh implanted in patient's body, a special mesh construction has been developed to manufacture the sling (10). The special characteristic of the new mesh is that it has open knots (22), as shown in FIG. 9.

In order to implant said mesh with open knots (22) in the patient's body, this mesh advantageously offers no place for bacteria nesting. There is no micro interstitial space into any knot; so this gives the macrophages always the possibility to reach whatever bacteria is over the mesh (10).

Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments as illustrated herein, but is limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof. 

1. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue”, wherein each of the extremes (13) of said sling (10) are provided with a cavity (16) formed from the folding inwards of the part (13 a) over the part (13 b) by the ideal axis (14); and incorporates also a traction systems in a central position (12) of the sling (10).
 2. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower edges (20) of the folded parts (13 a) are sealed by thread knots or thermal fixation or other sealing method to shape the cavities (16) with a opening (23) to introduce inside a surgical forceps (18).
 3. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the extreme edge (21) of the folded parts (13 a) can be also sealed.
 4. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the traction system of the sling (10) comprise traction threads (15) immobilized from their extremes to the middle part (12) of the sling (10).
 5. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the central part (12) of the sling (10) is thinner than the extremes (13) of the sling (10).
 6. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the central part (12) of the sling (10) is alternatively of the same width as the extremes (13) of the sling (10).
 7. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the sling (10) is made of any biocompatible material.
 8. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the lateral cavities (16) of the sling (10) are made of a biocompatible material different from the one used for the central part (12) of the sling (10).
 9. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the construction of the mesh of the sling (11) is provided with open knots (22), with no interstitial spaces inside the knot (22).
 10. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the sling (10) is used as a support for the urethra for urinary incontinence patients.
 11. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the sling (10) is used for pelvic floor prolaps.
 12. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the sling (10) is used for abdominal prolaps.
 13. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the sling (10) is used for thoracic prolaps.
 14. “Adjustable sling as a support for organs or anatomical tissue” according to claim 1, wherein the sling (10) is used for repositioning of facial tissue. 